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Project Difficulty:
Moderate
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Building regulations have complicated life for homeowners at least as far back as 2000 BC, when the Code of Hammurabi mandated death to the son of any builder whose structure collapsed and killed the son of its owner. While building codes these days are not quite so severe, governments continue to be vigilant within their jurisdictions, with published specifications for design and construction that are intended to protect the general health, safety, and welfare of their citizens.
Codes vary from community to community. There are four dominant building codes in the United States, often used as models: the Basic Building Code, published by the Building Officials and Code Administrators (BOCA); the Uniform Building Code, by the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO); the Southern Standards Building Code, by the Southern Building Code Congress International (SBCCI); and the National Building Code, by the American Insurance Association that serve as the basis for most city and county building codes. While following the basic guidelines, many large cities issue their own codes.
Before you build, confer with your town or city building officials to determine the specific codes used in your area. If you live outside the boundaries of a city or town, talk to the county clerk or county commission. If you cannot find a city or county office that covers building codes, check with the state offices. Codes may be administered by the departments of housing, community affairs, building standards, or even by the labor department, as they sometimes regulate builders. You also might check with the state fire marshal or state energy office.
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1.
Types of Codes
There are several types of codes--building, mechanical, plumbing, energy, electrical, and other--that, depending upon the scope of your project, could affect how you work.
A building code is a collection of laws that set or define standards of design and construction for structures within a community. The regulations cover such topics as suitability of construction materials, foundations and footings, the span of floor joists, the amount of insulation needed in a ceiling, the type and number of fasteners used to fasten sheathing, and the amount of light and ventilation necessary to provide a healthy living space. Building codes also cover some aspects of installing plumbing and wiring.
Mechanical codes cover the installation of heating and cooling equipment (including ducts), wood stoves, and chimneys.
Plumbing codes include rules for the installation of water supply and drain/waste/vent (DWV) systems, as well as related systems.
Energy codes map out minimum requirements for such things as window glazing, insulation, and general energy efficiency. Many municipalities instituted these codes in response to the energy shortages in the 1970s.
Electrical codes cover the proper installation of household electrical equipment and wiring systems. The National Electric Code, unlike most other codes, pertains to the entire country. However, large municipalities often have their own electrical codes instead.
Some communities have also adopted other codes, such as fire prevention codes, accessibility codes (requiring barrier-free access to buildings), or special-construction codes, for instance those requiring earthquake-resistant construction.
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2.
Building Permits and Inspections
Permits and inspections are organized ways to legally enforce the various building codes. Essentially, a permit is the license that gives you permission to do the work; an inspection ensures that you did the work according to code. Usually a permit is not necessary for minor repair or remodeling work, but you may need one for adding a dormer, building an in-ground structure such as a children's playground, extending the water supply and DWV system, or adding an electrical circuit. At the time you obtain a permit, ask about the inspection schedule. A small project might need only a final inspection; a larger project could require several intermediate inspections before a final inspection is done. Building officials may ask that you prominently display the permit while you are working. When you pass the inspection, you might be issued a Certificate of Occupancy (C.O.). (Fig. 1)
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3.
Zoning Ordinances
Another type of regulation that can affect your building plans is called a zoning ordinance, which could include set-back requirements and other laws that could affect placement of a new structure or addition (such as a deck) that you plan to build. Zoning ordinances vary from one town to another and no matter what type of building you are planning, even the installation of a fence, it is always a good idea to check with local officials before any work is started in case alterations in design are necessary to conform to the ordinance. For example, some residential zoning ordinances are designed to keep multi-family homes out of single-family neighborhoods. If your plans for renovating the attic call for the addition of a small bathroom and a separate outside entrance, local zoning officials might interpret this as an attempt to add a rental unit and therefore deny you a permit. However, if you change the plans to incorporate an internal stair, your attic no longer appears to be a rental and your plans, barring other problems, probably will be approved. Other zoning ordinances might restrict your ability to change the exterior of your house or to change its height or might affect placement of a deck with respect to the property line.
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